A first transfer apparatus unloads and transfers substrates from a cassette. A first accommodating unit accommodates the substrates. First substrate processing units divided into at least two groups and arranged in a height direction performs a process to the substrates. Second accommodating units respectively corresponding to the groups are arranged to be parallel with the first accommodating unit in the height direction. Second transfer apparatuses respectively corresponding to the groups unload and transfer the substrates from the second accommodating units corresponding to the same groups into the first substrate processing units of the same groups. Second substrate processing units respectively corresponding to the groups are arranged to be parallel with the first and second accommodating units in the height direction. A delivery apparatus delivers the substrates between the first and second accommodating units and transfers the substrates between the first accommodating unit and the second substrate processing units.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A substrate processing system comprising: a first transfer apparatus configured to unload substrates from a cassette that accommodates the substrates and configured to transfer the unloaded substrates in a transfer direction; at least one first accommodating unit configured to accommodate the substrates transferred by the first transfer apparatus; multiple first substrate processing units, which are divided into at least two groups and arranged in a height direction, configured to perform a preset process to the respective substrates; multiple second accommodating units, which each respectively corresponds to one of the groups and are arranged to be parallel with the at least one first accommodating unit in the height direction, configured to accommodate the substrates; multiple second transfer apparatuses, each respectively corresponding to one of the groups, configured to unload the substrates from the second accommodating units corresponding to the same groups and transfer the substrates into the first substrate processing units belonging to the same groups; multiple second substrate processing units, which each respectively corresponds to one of the groups and are arranged to be disposed above and below the at least one first accommodating unit and the second accommodating units in the height direction, configured to perform a predetermined process to the respective substrates; and at least one delivery apparatus configured to deliver the substrates between the at least one first accommodating unit and the second accommodating units and configured to transfer the substrates between the at least one first accommodating unit and the second substrate processing units, wherein the at least one first accommodating unit corresponding to two adjacent groups is arranged at a middle height position between the two groups, and the second accommodating units respectively corresponding to the groups are arranged above and below the at least one first accommodating unit, respectively, the at least one delivery apparatus is plural in number, and the delivery apparatuses respectively correspond to the groups, and the delivery apparatuses deliver the substrates accommodated in the at least one first accommodating unit to the second accommodating units corresponding to the same groups, respectively, wherein the delivery apparatuses deliver the substrates only perpendicular to the transfer direction.
2. The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one delivery apparatus delivers the substrates accommodated in the at least one first accommodating unit to the second accommodating units when the preset process is performed by the first substrate processing units without performing the predetermined process by the second substrate processing units, and transfers the substrates accommodated in the at least one first accommodating unit into the second substrate processing units when the preset process is performed by the first substrate processing units after the predetermined process is performed by the second substrate processing units, and the second transfer apparatuses unload the substrates accommodated in the second accommodating units and transfer the substrates into the first substrate processing units when the preset process is performed by the first substrate processing units without performing the predetermined process by the second substrate processing units, and transfer the substrates accommodated in the second substrate processing units into the first substrate processing units when the preset process is performed by the first substrate processing units after the predetermined process is performed by the second substrate processing units.
3. The substrate processing system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one first accommodating unit is plural in number, the first accommodating units respectively correspond to the groups and are stacked in multiple stages, the first transfer apparatus transfers the substrates to be processed in the first substrate processing units into the first accommodating units corresponding to the group to which the first substrate processing units belong, and the delivery apparatuses deliver the substrates accommodated in the first accommodating units corresponding to the same groups to the second accommodating units corresponding to the same groups or transfer the substrates to the second substrate processing units.
4. The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first accommodating unit is plural in number, the first accommodating units respectively correspond to the groups and are stacked in multiple stages, the first transfer apparatus transfers the substrates to be processed in the first substrate processing units into the first accommodating units corresponding to the group to which the first substrate processing units belong, and the delivery apparatuses deliver the substrates accommodated in the first accommodating units corresponding to the same groups to the second accommodating units corresponding to the same groups or transfer the substrates to the second substrate processing units.
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November 13, 2014
April 5, 2016
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